Arthropod ectoparasites commonly infecting warm-blooded animals include ticks, mites, lice, fleas, blowfly, the ectoparasite Lucilia sp. of sheep, biting insects including keds (Melophagus ovinus) and migrating dipterous larvae such as Hypoderma sp. and Dermataobia in cattle, Gastrophilus in horses and Cuterebra sp. in rodents.
Metaflumizone is useful for the prevention and control of infestation by ectoparasites in warm-blooded animals. Topical administration of this active is a preferred method for administering this compound.
To provide useful protection against ectoparasitic infection or infestation in warm-blooded animals it is desirable to use formulations having a relatively high loading of active agent, but such formulations must be stable, both with respect to the physical formulation, and also, with respect to the chemical stability of the active. Metaflumizone is one of several useful insecticidal agents which have found particular application for the control of fleas and ticks on animals, particularly companion animals such as dogs, cats and horses, and livestock such as cattle, sheep and goats. It is particularly advantageous in that it can provide 4-6 weeks of protection from fleas and ticks in companion animals, but it would be potentially useful for many other species if suitable formulations could be developed. Nonetheless, formulation of metaflumizone is made difficult by its insolubility in many solvents, and its instability in the presence of primary alcohols.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a versatile composition for topical administration which comprises a relatively high loading of metaflumizone and which will provide protection from ectoparasitic infestation. Most advantageously, the formulation can function as a concentrate, which with simple modifications, can be extended to use for a wide variety of other animals. Thus, the concentrated formulation can be utilized as a small volume spot-on formulation, for instance, for protection of companion animals, while further dilutions can be utilized as conventional pour-on products for farm animals, with still further dilutions utilizable for emulsified sprays delivered through an aerosol spray or a pump spray with numerous volumes of dosage and/or application to the feed.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method for preventing or treating acarid or arthropod ectoparasitic infestation in animals, especially warm-blooded animals, using the compositions of the invention.
It is another object of this invention to reduce or control the proliferation of such insects in warm-blooded animals for prolonged periods of time by a topically applied active, with the formulation being mild and gentle enough to avoid adverse skin reactions upon administration, yet with the ability to be retained in the animal's skin and/or coat over the time needed for protection.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the description thereof set forth below and the appended claims.